Condoning Innocence
by Othello.Syndrome
Summary: Amano Yukiteru is accused of a murder that he didn't commit, and Akise Aru is determined to save him from the injustice.
1. Prologue

**A/N**

This is the prologue; it's required reading, but I apologize if it seems a slow start. Your reviews are the fuel that drive me to continue. So, do what you can!

xoxos

* * *

Pants filled the air as a young man of age twenty-two ran through a narrow alleyway, void of light. At the end of the dark alley was a street, lined by dim lamp posts; there were no cars anywhere in the vicinity, only a lonely park across the road. Yukiteru inspected the area to remember where exactly he was as he ran. He could not stop. No matter how much pain there was in his chest from exertion and the unfamiliar exercise, _he could not stop_. Stopping meant a certain danger. He wanted to turn his head and see the distance between him and his attacker, but he knew that it would be all over then. Slowing down anymore would increase the possibility of him being caught. He could _not_ risk that. He could not give his assailant the oppurtunity. Tears flowed down his cheeks without fail, crying in shame. He was scared. He was _so frightened!_

He crossed the park, seeing a familiar street on the opposite side. He grinned hopefully, increasing his speed. Yukiteru could hear the strong footsteps of his chaser nearing, but he had hope once again. He knew where he was! Across this street, passed the buildings, was the police station. He ran into another alley, realizing far too late that the alley was a dead end. A concrete wall hindered any ability to continue his escape.

His tears fell, his heart racing in fear. Oh, no.. this was it! He was dead without having truly lived. He had wasted his life with wishes, not making any effort to fulfill them. He spent his days alone, the few friends he had being friends from work who, even now, he was much too nervous to see outside of the convenience store. He hadn't tried to accomplish any of his dreams, feeling as if there was no point in attempting such endeavors. All stupid insecurities, and now he regretted it. He realized much too late how precious each wasted moment of his life truly had been.

Yukiteru turned around, confronting the predator closing in on him. He took an offensive stance, attempting to look dangerous.. Yukiteru knew he was physically weak, but maybe he could seem strong.

He gasped, his eyes widening in realization. He had his cell phone! He pulled it out hurriedly, preparing to call the Sakurami Police Station that was literally a street away from him, when it was knocked out of his hand. Yukiteru looked up at the man wearing a bulky trench coat and thick goggles concealing his identity, shaking violently. He tensed up and didn't dare to breathe as a sword was lifted by a gloved hand, the large blade pointing at his neck. He sobbed uncontrollably and closed his eyes. He would _not_ see his own demise. He just hoped that his death wouldn't be drawn out.

Yukiteru felt warm liquid splash across his body and speck across his face, opening his eyes in surprise and watching the person who was originally going to cause his end crumple on to the hard cement, a dark puddle flowing out from underneath him. Shocked, he stared at the man who had the intent to kill him. After a few moments he gasped, realizing that the body laying in front of his feet was lifeless. Yukiteru laughed bitterly. Of course. Just his luck, coming across two killers in a single night.

"Yukki? What's so funny?" came a high-pitched coo. Yukiteru's eyes widened in alarm, jerking his head up to view the owner of the contradictingly sweet voice.

He couldn't see her clearly in the dark night, but her silhouette was unmistakably affeminate. A skirt was one thing he could tell on the girl, along with amazingly long hair and a small, thin frame. He began shaking again when he caught sight of a long knife, coated in blood. He heard a giggle.

"Yukki, what's wrong? You're safe now."

He was safe? Yukiteru's lips trembled, unsure if the girl was mocking him or sincere. After a few moments of silence, she spoke once more.

"I love you, Yukki. Be careful from now on, okay?" And with that, the girl left. Yukiteru noticed that her hair had been held and parted with two hair ties, it's length passing her waist. She seemingly bounced down the alley, disappearing from his sight.

Yukiteru stared at the now vacant of life area, frozen. He couldn't comprehend what ever it was that had just transpired. He couldn't accept the unreal incident. Who were those two people who wielded dangerous blades in such a natural manner, as if they were accustomed to taking part in deaths and murder? How come the strange, unknown girl so easily took another life, and yet spared him? Yukiteru reached down and grabbed the sword, his hands soaking in the blood that had been on the hilt, and tossed it away from him. He looked back down and stared at the treacherous man who was not too long ago his executioner. Gazing at the crimson that his shoes and the man were drowning in, his vision began to blur, slowly fading to black. He fell unceremoniously in the pool of blood, losing his consciousness.

* * *

Yukiteru groaned, a sharp pain shooting through his head. He just had the worst nightmare. He was accustomed to dreamless nights; he was astonished that he had fallen asleep without being aware. Normally his body resisted sleep, his mind constantly restless. He would sit up alone in his house, wrapping his cover around himself while in his room. He would close his eyes during the silence, imagining how his life would be like if he had been more social, or had followed his dream of studying astronomy. Sadly, with his failure in sociability, it felt impossible.

He realized that he must have left the light on, for even with his eyes closed he could see the brightness behind his lids. He opened his eyes to rows of lights above his bed. He stared in confusion, wondering why his room had seemed so different. Yukiteru closed his eyes and snapped them open, the scene remaining the same. He shot his upper body up in alarm, regretting it immediately as his head began to pound. He reached up and clutched at his skull desperately, noticing during the action the wires attatched to his forearms.

After a few moments of absolute bewilderment, he realized where he was. _A hospital? _But why? He felt light-headed, the illumination from the room now immensely painful. He closed his eyes tightly, trying to recover his memory. Didn't he just fall asleep? Was this part of the dream? He cringed as a sharp pain shot through his head as a reminder that, no, this was definitely reality. Which would mean the incident that occurred, his date with death, had been real? His stomach churned - it felt like he was going to vomit acid.

"Amano-kun?" Yukiteru looked up, his head aching unbearably, at a girl with a kind face and dark brown hair curtaining just past her shoulders. He spotted a name tag on her white nurse uniform, reading _WAKABA, _"It seems you have a minor concussion," as she read through the medical sheet her glasses drooped lower on her nose, "but other than that, your health's perfectly fine. A small cold, but you only need plenty of rest and some warm soup, and that'll do the trick." She smiled sweetly, looking up at him.

Yukiteru blinked slowly, logically comprehending what she said, but unable to understand the situation. That dream _couldn't_ have been real. Right?

"Um.. Wakaba-san.. how did I end up here?" Yukiteru asked hesitantly, honestly afraid of the answer.

The nurse adjusted her glasses, "Well, there was a call to the station. Someone disguised their voice, and he or she had said that a murder took place off of Hiromi Street. You were found unconscious and bloody; you were brought here last night and immediately placed under emergency care. Is your vision all right? How many fingers am I holding up?"

Yukiteru answered 'six' correctly, the nurse marking off a box, "Well, your vitals have been normal. You concerned me when you were sleeping - you were having nightmares and your heart pulse would shoot up suddenly! I'm relieved that you're fine. Press this button if you need anything, okay?" Yukiteru blushed and nodded as the nurse showed him what button she was referring to. Wakaba left the room, leaving Yukiteru to his pain and thoughts. How did all this happen? And why to him? He had simply been walking home from his job, and then he had been chased by that tall man that he didn't even know.. He was on the verge of tears when the door opened and two men entered, one of a more bulky stature and the other a slightly lean, yes still masculine form.

The taller man reached into his greyish-blue suit, pulling out a badge, "My name's Kurusu Keigo, and this is my suboordinate Nishijima Masumi. I'm the chief of police and I'm here to ask you questions relating to the death and murder of Hayama Takao."

Yukiteru blinked slowly once again, star-struck. Who? And why did that name sound familiar..? "I-I'm sorry.. I have no clue who you're talking about, Kurusu-san.."

The tall man scowled at him, causing Yukiteru to gnaw on his lip out of nervousness. The chief police officer looked over at his companion whom of which opened a brown briefcase that he'd been carrying, pulling out a beige portfolio and handing it to Kurusu. Kurusu read through it quickly before tossing it to Yukiteru. Yukiteru began reviewing what the paper said, listening as Kurusu talked.

"Hayama Takao, your Junior High teacher. He had been found at your feet, his blood soaking nearly every bit of your skin. Let's not beat around the bush, Yukiteru-kun. You killed him, didn't you?"

Yukiteru dropped the sheets of information aghast, the papers ruffling and floating to random spaces around the room, "No! It wasn't me! He chased me, and -"

"So it was self defense?" Nishijima gave a gentle smile, hoping to comfort the younger man's anxieties. Yukiteru's tears began to stream, the brunette not bothering to wipe them away.

"N-No! I.. I had been chased into an alley-way, and he pointed a sword at my throat! He was going to k-kill me! But, this girl came out of nowhere! And although I didn't see it, I know she killed him! And she just stood there, and.."

_"__**I love you, Yukki. Be careful from now on, okay?**__"_

"She stood there and?" Kurusu prompted, "Don't leave out any details."

Yukiteru gulped, "W-Well, she laughed.. and knew my name.. She was holding a long knife, and -"

"What did she look like?" Kurusu interrupted, similar to Nishijima from previously. Yukiteru rubbed his hands against one another nervously. His head hurt, it had been dark, and he had been panicked - his memory of her besides those eerie words was foggy at best. But he was determined to prove his innocence.

"She wasn't that tall, but had long hair that went past her waist. They were in twin tails. Um.. She was wearing a skirt that reached about one inch above her knees.. And her hair was some bright, light colour.. maybe blonde, or red.." Looking up at Kurusu's scornful frown, Yukiteru realized his unclear description wasn't strengthening his defense. If anything, it made him appear even more suspicious, "S-She had a long knife! I know she killed that guy with it.." Yukiteru grimaced at being able to say _'killed that guy'_ with such ease.

Kurusu's fist slammed into the wall, "Enough! You should have just claimed self-defense rather than this horribly obvious lie."

"It's not a lie!" Yukiteru protested, his voice raising an octave.

"We found your fingerprints on the weapon at the scene, a long sword with Hayama Takao's blood. Did the long-haired fantasy girl do that, too?"

Yukiteru stiffened in shock. He could recall wanting to move the deadly weapon away, just in case the man's deceased corpse hasn't been as dead as he thought. He simply wanted to ensure his own safety, if only for a moment. "I was just scared that he would wake up and kill me with it. I was just afraid. I didn't do anything, please believe me.." Yukiteru just barely whispered the plea, well aware that the chief of police would continue doubting him regardless.

Kurusu groaned, retrieving the scattered reports that had been dropped on the floor. Once he finished, he returned them to Nishijima, the private investigator replacing them in the briefcase. Kurusu glared once more at Yukiteru before stalking out. Nishijima smiled apologetically, "Get better soon, Yukiteru-kun."

When the two left, Yukiteru heaved a sigh. Why did it feel as though it had been forever since he had been home? And what about his job? He briefly wondered if Hinata or Mao-chan picked up his shift, not even bothering to consider Kousaka to be considerate without knowing the situation (All though he knew that if he stroked Kousaka's ego, he'd easily get the narcissistic boy to do whatever he asked.) Yukiteru sighed once again, laughing at the irony of it all. He meets two killers, and he's designated a murderer! His laughter soon slowed, twisting into depression. He laid back and closed his eyes, the bright light above him awfully painful. Yukiteru reached over and pressed the button that Nurse Wakaba had shown him wiping his teary ultramarine eyes as he waited.

The young woman entered the room, giving him a curious look. Yukiteru smiled weakly, a light red tinting his cheeks in embarrassment. He wasn't used to asking many favours from others, "Could you bring me a pain reliever?"

She gave him a coy smile, "Of course, Amano-kun. I'll be right back." And with that, she left the room to do as requested. Yukiteru looked himself over, vaguely wondering if the nurse had been the one to wash the blood off of him. His lips turned downwards as his blush darkened - his thoughts were quite out of character, it seemed. He supposed he had the right to be out of sorts. Who was that girl? Why was his old teacher chasing him down with an indefinite intent to kill? How could the mystery girl simply smile and giggle while looking as though a pale of deep red paint had been thrown on her? Remembering the incident caused him to shudder, fear and a sharp pain coursing through his body. There wasn't anything good about this situation. There were no silver-linings. Two people with the will to take loves not only knew him, but were _so_ close to him yesterday. Yukiteru just barely subdued the intense want to sob like an infant, insisting his body that now was not the cry, but it was the time to recover. He couldn't wait for the pain reliever. And on cue, the nurse re-entered, receiving Yukiteru's teary blue gaze.

"Here you go, Amano-kun," she offered three capsuled and a medium-sized Styrofoam cup of water. Yukiteru smiled and thanked her, swalling the three pills simultaneously and washing it down with the comfortably cold water, closing his eyes right after and drifting to sleep.


	2. Chapter One: Akise Aru

**A/N**

My sincerest of apologies for the wait. Chapter one of Condoning Innocence is here, and I hope you enjoy it. Your reviews are the fuel that drive me to continue. So, do what you can!

xoxos

* * *

The dim glow of a lamp set upon a metallic grey desk illuminated the otherwise pitch black room. The dark of night and the deep lateness caused the central streets to be all but abandoned. A brown and maroon brick building sitting on the corner of two busy streets was vacant of life save for plants scattered around the reception desk and private offices, along with Akise Aru, sitting in one of the aforementioned rooms. He sat on a cushioned office chair as his vermilion eyes scrolled over sheets upon sheets of paper, reviewing the payout of his last case.

His last case had been requested by the Sakurami private investigator, the well-respected Nishijima-san. He was sent to find the location of a popular - for no good reason - terrorist by the name of Uryuu Minene. He found that particular case to be oddly difficult; locating her reigned no difficulties(with her violet hair and need to make herself known to Religious officials), but catching her was a different story entirely. Capturing the beautiful woman who was still agile in her late twenties wasn't impossible, but it was out of his line of expertise.

Akise gave a silent chuckle, a deep sound that many women would fawn over simply for the fact they were allowed to hear such an attractive baritone, and recalled Nishijima's form of 'capturing' said terrorist.

The man came racing in to his private sector one day, his eyes alight with some passion foreign to Akise. He had exclaimed that the snowy-haired detective need not continue the case. He took out his briefcase and gave Akise an amount of money that exceeded the cost of what had originally been asked for his services. Akise was, to say the least, more than bewildered. He shifted his gaze back up to the older man and saw the excitement that was still showing on the brunette's face.

Akise couldn't contain his curiosity, questions leaving his mouth with ease, "Why so much? Payment, I mean. I hadn't even finished the case."

Nishijima beamed, only furthering Akise's confusion. "I'm in love with her. It's love. She.. She's so beautiful. I'm planning on convincing her to marry me. The extra money is not only a thank you for taking on such a dangerous case, but thanks for giving me the oppurtunity to meet her."

Akise had tried to refuse. He felt an odd twinge of guilt for having not completed his goal - Akise Aru _always_ completed his goals - but Nishijima insisted, going so far as to shake his hand enthusiastically and leave even the premium leather briefcase.

Akise allowed a laugh to escape through his lips again, an amused grin playing on his face. That was the first time he'd witnessed a man so incredibly elated. It was the first time he didn't finish a case requested of him. The first time he had seen the blossoming of true love before his eyes. Knowing what he did of Nishijima, the cop would chase the terrorist to the ends of the earth, until the end of time. It would take more work to deny the successful man than it would to simply give in and accept.

Although the feeling hadn't been experience by Akise personally yet, he _had_ dated numerous girls and received confessions from many more. He knew it wasn't normal, but it never gave cause for conceit. He was simply aware of his draw. He didn't feel comfortable or uncomfortable in any of his relationships - it was all neutral for him. But eventually, after a few weeks maximum, he heard the same lines.

_"It doesn't feel like you love me."_

_"You seem like you're with me only because I asked.."  
_

_"I can't pretend I'm fine with this distance between us."_

Akise hadn't purposely placed distance between them and himself, but he couldn't deny their accusations. He hadn't felt anything for them. He didn't have a reason to say no, therefore he simply accepted them. If he accepted, he found that the girls(and two guys) would light up in joy, their faces exuberant and blushing. Akise kind of liked that. Helping others, even if it was only for a moment of simple happiness. That was his incentive for complying.

He had been urged into fervent kisses, whispered sweet and seductive words into his ears, but no part of him reacted. He gave relaxed smiles and gently pushed people away before they realized how little they affected him.

He had been pulled into love hotels and touched sinfully, his body reacting slowly but naturally. He had allowed such advances out of curiosity; the first time occasional light pants leaving his lips from the sexual encounter. Second and onward he only did such things to placate his more forceful partners. Eventually he simply denied them the oppurtunity to ask or force such perverse actions on him. Which led to the same lines meant to end all of his 'relationships'.

Akise sighed and replaced the papers into a drawer under the desk. He locked the said drawer and stood, retrieving his jacket and turning off the small lamp. He left his office, and soon after exited the entire building. He pulled his jacket closer around his neck; it was unexpectedly chilly this night. The plant life scattered across Sakurami city was transforming from barren branches and muggy grass to a lovely green and barely-there leaves. He breathed out, puffs of white appearing due to the difference of temperatures.

Akise was glad he bought out that particular office in that particular building considering the convenient distance it was to his flat.

Arriving at his apartment complex, he made a conscious decision to take the stairs. He wasn't afraid of elevators, but if there were an alternative he thought it wise to use it. When he arrived at his door, he pulled his keys out of his jacket pocket and unlocked it, entering immediately and removing his shoes. He flipped the light switch, not even flinching when the light caused a familiar pain in his eyes, the crimson orbs adjusting themselves to the contrast. Akise looked at the kitchen area and realized by a discomfort in his abdomen that he hadn't eaten since breakfast. He pulled his sleeve to check the time. One in the morning. He frowned slightly, put off by this; he was self-employed and worked alone, yet he still tended to work past his _own_ set hours. He bypassed a few framed pictures from ten and twenty years ago - age twelve and two. He internally reprimanded himself for the lack of keeping contact with his parents.

He quickly made a rice omelette, eating in silence. As of right now, he was the most successful detective in the prefecture. But his aim was internationally renowned. Akise smirked - he knew he had the ability. He wasn't heading towards fame or popularity, but he wished to see how far he could go. Not to mention how much he simply enjoyed mysteries in general.

Akise finished his meal and washed the few dishes from the day, his task complete and content with his nearly spotless apartment. He stood in the living area and sat on his soft peach-tinted sofa, lifting the remote and staring at the television. He recalled the time and pressed multiple buttons on the remote pad, grateful for his recordings. He turned on the saved program and paid close attention as the News Woman reviewed the day's events. Nothing odd seemed to have occurred and his eyelids began to lower from the lack of sleep when he heard the woman say something that woke him up quicker than a bucket of cold water.

_"A murder took place last night in an alley near the Sakurami police station. The victim, Hayama Takao, was pronounced dead at the scene from blood loss and a fatal wound in the neck area. The suspect is said to have been found unconscious at the scene of the crime. A call came into the officer's station, stating that a murder had taken place. No further information has been shared, but we believe more to be revealed in the morning. In other news, a new bakery is going to be opened in the next month.."_

Akise tuned out once again, his bright red eyes wide open and lightly pink lips parted. There was so much wrong with what he just heard. Near the police station? Hayama Takao? Akise pondered for a moment and realized why that name sounded familiar, recognizing it as his Junior High teacher at Umesato.

Would a murderer faint at the scene? He knew that was an indefinite _no_. A murdered would have at least attempted to escape. It had to have been either self-defense or there was much more to the story than released. If it were called in, then _who_ called in? He doubted strongly that they were suspecting the right person, not broadening their perspective wide enough.

Akise sighed, running a hand through his alabaster hair. He should sleep. It was past three in the morning, and although he didn't open his office until two in the afternoon, he wanted to wake up as soon as possible to get the "further information."

Akise stood up from the couch, stretching his limbs. He lightly groaned afterwards and headed to his room.

He began stripping and looking through his second drawer, retrieving a pair of navy blue silken slacks. He momentarily considered taking a shower, but realized he coould just take one in the morning. Slipping under his powder blue comforter, he closed his eyes, drifting to sleep.

* * *

Akise awoke to his own internal clock at nine in the morning and sat up, eyes still closed. He breathed in, sluggishly recalling the events of the previous day. That assisted in bringing his mind to coherence. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, swinging his legs off the bed and standing. The news was, once again, recorded so he decided to take the time to shower. He went to his dresser, retrieving underwear, black formal pants and a white button up shirt. Considering the cold from last night and the weather channel he had seen two days prior, it was going to be descending to even lower temperatures. He decidedly traded he short to a long-sleeve and garbbed a black tie, leaving for the bathroom that was attatched to his own bedroom. He took off his nightwear, placing his to-be clothing on the hangers and turning on the shower, waiting for it to heat up. He looked in the mirror, noting his disheveled hair and eyes that were half-lidded from exhaustion. He stepped into the shower after a few moments of waiting for the water to warm up.

Akise lathered and rinsed, cleaning his body and shampooing his hair as thoroughly as possible. After fourteen minutes he found it enough and decided to exit the shower. He ruffled the towel over his head first, drying his hair lazily. He continued until his entire body was rid of the saturation and dry. He put on his clothes and left the bathroom. He left his tie off for the moment, finding it unnecessary. He stood in the kitchen and wondered what to eat. Akise felt impatient, his appetite nonexistant. Rationally, he knew he had to eat. But it was difficult to resist running to the television and turning on the news for the updated information. He felt.. _drawn_ to this case. It felt important.

It was irresistible.

Akise walked to the sofa and repeated what he had done the night before. Turn on. Click. Click, click. Akise sat there nonchalant, the same news anchor as yesterday speaking of mundane and tedious things. Nothing of interest to Akise. After six minutes, she finally began to talk about what he wanted to hear.

_"The murder that took place two nights ago has the city reeling! The murder of Hayama Takao, a junior high school teacher, is said to have occured just past midnight. A slash wound towards the throat, cutting the jugular. Hayama-san died of shock from blood loss and lack of oxygen to the brain."_

Akise watched intently as they showed the scene lined by yellow caution tape and white markings indicating where the deceased had been seen positioned. They then began to show a picture of a boy with umber hair and remarkably blue eyes, displaying information beside the boy's photo. After a long moment of Akise simply staring it registed in his mind that this was the suspect. He clenched his fist. He wasn't sure why, but he was positive this young boy was guilty of no crime. There was no way he had been the one to cause the intense gash wound to Akise's ex-teacher. He couldn't explain the feeling other than it being simply intuition. The woman continued.

_"Amano Yukiteru, aged twenty-two,"_ shock sparked through Akise at his miscalculation of age, _"is the prime suspect of the homicide. He was found unconscious two feet away from the deceased. He has been released from the hospital and put under house watch. No further information is available."_

Akise reviewed Amano Yukiteru's information that had been shown, storing it all in his memory.

Akise was glad that he worked his own hours and bought a work cell phone, because today he wasn't going to the office.

His curiosity was set aflame, and he was undoubtedly going to spend his time investigating.


	3. Chapter Two: Meetings

**A/N**

Hehe, I will upload this chapter right now and the next chapter shall actually be uploaded in a bit tonight! Your reviews are the fuel that drive me to continue. So, do what you can!

xoxos

* * *

"Nishijima-san."

Nishijima looked up from his computer, smiling genuinely at the new guest to his private office, "Oh, hello Aru-kun. Is there something I can help you with?"

Akise was glad that they could bypass pleasantries; he was far too eager to be sincere and humble. "Yes, actually. You know the primary suspect in Hayama Takao's murder case, correct? I would like more information regarding Amano Yukiteru."

Nishijima blinked slowly, a bit more than surprised. Akise had always been a determined young man with the appearance of being constantly relaxed. Akise was adaptable to new situations and quick-witted, something the older man envied quite much. But at this moment, although it wasn't something that a normal person would see, Nishijima could observe a dancing passion just barely hidden under crimson eyes. His lips lifted further, "Of course. What is it that you would like to know?"

"Is he employed? Wherever he works will be enough."

Nishijima's eyes scanned over the desk before he lifted up a folder that was already placed upon it. He opened it and answered, "He works at a convenience store off of Suehiro street. His work schedule is flippant - their schedules change biweekly and that's all I know."

Akise nodded, indicating he had heard, "Thank you very much, Nishijima-san."

"Never a problem. Anything you need. Here." Nishijima offered a slip of paper to Akise. The paper read the exact address that had been told to him just moments before. Akise turned to leave. "Hey," he heard, turning his head to give Nishijima his full attention. The man beamed, "I believe Yukiteru-kun is innocent as well. I know you'll bring him to justice, Aru-kun."

Akise paused in a rare moment of surprise. He was seen through that completely? The grin on Nishijima's face indicated that yes, he had just been read so easily. Akise nodded once he regained composure and left.

Akise stood on the sidewalk and thought of the quickest way to arrive at his destination. He found that going right was the best option.

Akise walked instead of riding a taxi or in a car because not only was he living in an apartment complex(not that he couldn't afford a house) but he liked the calm wind; Akise enjoyed when the cool air would breeze by all the skin that he had exposed. The leisurely flow of his silvery hair from the wind was calming, reminiscent to how his mother had ran her hands countless times through his exotic locks. The first half of his life - the time up until the end of primary school - his mother doted on him. She was a bit frivolous, allowing her young yet mature-beyond-his-years son go on his own adventures unsupervised. But Akise truly loved her and her kindness. When he entered Umesato Junior High he often left the house in search of new mysteries to solve. He didn't realize until he left for college how sad she must have felt. Akise didn't feel bad, but a part of him - even now - missed the sweetness of his mother. He rid himself of those sentimental thoughts, arriving at the convenience store. He saw a young woman with long lavender hair greet him excitedly from behind the register. "Welcome, sir! Would you like any assistance?"

Akise smiled politely, going up to the counter. "Yes, actually. May I talk to Amano Yukiteru-kun?"

The purple-haired woman's eyes went wide in alarm, almost eliciting a chuckle from Akise.

"It's not what you think, I assure you. I'm Akise Aru, currently the most proficient detective in Sakurami, and I want to help him. The story on the news doesn't add up, so I wanted to ask him personally. Is he around?"

She breathed out in apparent relief, beaming up at him. "Amano's at home - Hinata promised to pick up his shifts. She's closer to him than I am, so it'd be better to talk to her."

"Thank you.." he inspected her name tag, "Mao."

She giggled, "I hope you can help Amano. He's a really nice guy. I know he couldn't have.. I know he _didn't_. Hinata's stacking the shelves in the third aisle."

Akise nodded and thanked her again, walking as was directed. He spotted a girl with ginger-brown hair stacking boxes of instant ramen in a cup and went to approach her. She turned her mahogany eyes to him, an odd elation entering her eyes, "Akise!"

Akise stared for a moment, dumbstruck for the second-time in one day. He rummaged his brain to find how he knew her. Then it clicked - Tsukishima Karyuudo's daughter, Hino Hinata. He had been hired by the dog enthusiast to locate the person who had been harassing his precious canines. He recalled Hinata as the girl who has been outside playing with a retriever name Alpha. They hadn't communicated, but her knowing who he was would make this much easier.

"Hello, Hinata. Nice to see you again. It's been a long time."

She snickered, standing up and punching him on the shoulder softly, expressing her own familiarity with the man, "Yeah, it's been a while! I'm glad you remembered me. I'm still extremely thankful to you for helping with the blind man who had been harassing our dogs. It's nice that he hadn't been intending to hurt our dogs. He was just a nut-job." She laughed at the memory.

Akise smiled politely, accustomed to his skills being praised, "Actually, Hinata, I have a request. I would like to know as much information on Amano Yukiteru-kun as you can provide."

Hinata abruptly gave him an angry glare, a reaction he had more or less expected. The suspicion in her brown eyes was intense, even more than it had been in Mao's. His felt internally conflicted.

Akise couldn't understand why, but he was annoyed and thankful at the same time. Why annoyed? He couldn't give a rational reason for his irritation. He considered that it was because of the defiance, but he knew that wasn't it. He decided to move past it. "Don't worry, Hinata. I'm not here to do him harm."

Hinata's glare subsided, replaced with a curious stare, "Then what _are_ you here for?"

_Good question, Hinata. I'm beginning to wonder that myself._

A smirk began to play on Akise's face, the detective amused by his own rare case of impulsiveness, "I'm positive Yukiteru-kun's innocent. It seems as though he had been dragged into a crime he didn't commit, and it seems by a phone call to the station that he had been framed for it. I want to figure out how and why he's being accused of these things. Could you tell me anything about him? I have no ill-motives, so you don't need to worry." he answered.

Hinata smiled, relaxing similarly to how Mao had earlier, "All right, Akise. I trust you. What do you want to know?"

"How did he feel two days ago? Did he have work? Why was he our past midnight? What is your relationship with him?"

Hinata registered all of the questions and tossed them around in her mind before replying, "He was completely normal. I mean, he was smiling and blushing at stupid things like usual. Nothing out of the ordinary. And yeah, he was here for work. His shift was from six at night until midnight that day, so that explains why he was out so late. And.." Hinata raised a brow, "What does my relationship with him have to do with the case?"

Akise was personally getting tired of his new-found speechlessness. What _did_ it have to do with the case? She wasn't a suspect, and Akise knew she had done no wrong. So why? He wasn't sure, but he quickly had an excuse, "Depending on how close you are with him will impact your bias and the legitimacy of your answers. Your relationship would affect what I would be able to trust as fact from your words." His reasoning didn't even convince himself.

She laughed aloud, digging into her pocket and looking up at him, "Do you have a pen on you?" Akise nodded, reaching into his jacket for a black ball point pen. Hinata pulled out a miniature notebook, writing into it and folding the paper into many tiny rectangles. Akise frowned slightly in confusion, unable to understand why she would go through all the time just to fold it. "All right! Here you go. It's his address and a little note. Amano should be home now, so go there any time."

Akise smiled charmingly, "Thank you, Hinata. Really."

She rolled her eyes, shooing him away with her right hand, "I have to work. Go do your job and help Amano."

Akise nodded and turned around, glancing over at Mao, "Thank you very much for your assistance."

The lavender-haired girl giggled, "Hinata did a lot more for you. Amano will be happy for your help." She gave him a gentle smile.

Akise walked out feeling a bit excited again. After exiting the store, he opened the note to see the address. After reading it and committing it to memory, he saw a bit more scribbling below, and what was written threw him off-kilter.

**Don't worry Akise. I'm not your rival in love; Amano's not in a relationship, so you have a chance!**

**Do your best, Hino Hinata.**

Akise was completely lost for words and, for the fourth time in a single day, dumbstruck. This reaction not only from the shock of the words on the small sheet of paper, but by the relief he experienced. He felt his tense shoulders relax, almost going to far as to breathe out as if he had been holding his breath. He began walking towards Yukiteru's residence, knowing exactly where the location was.

Akise was shocked by his explosion of emotions this day. He was intelligent, cool-headed, and professional. Today he was constantly emotional and reactive to anything that had to do with the case.

He thought of his reactions - frustration, gratefulness, relief - and he thought of the situations that elicited such feelings.

When Hinata glared at him, suspicious of his motives, his feelings had been so contradicting, tossing between being thankful towards her and irritated over her. When he found that Yukiteru didn't have a romantic partner, he felt as though a weight had been lifted.

_**'I'm not your rival in love, so you have a chance!'**_

Akise stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, gaining curious looks from by-passers. He was confused over Yukiteru. He was reactive to things pertaining to Yukiteru. He was determined to help a boy he had never met. He had gone out of his way to find where the brunette worked and lived. If this was simply for the case, he could have received a sufficient amount of information from Nishijima. He didn't have to do so much. So why?

He wanted to meet Yukiteru.

Akise wanted to see and meet with Yukiteru. He was frustrated because Hinata knew that boy better than Akise did. He was thankful because she was protecting Yukiteru when Akise hadn't been. But the relief..?

Akise began walking again, picking up his pace. He couldn't properly explain it, not through logical means, but he wanted to meet with Yukiteru. Not only to solve this mystery, but he truly wanted to see the brunette. To hear his voice. To talk with him. To protect him.

Akise arrived where he wanted to be, looking over the house. It was modest - not too big nor too small. It had a simple white, grey, and maroon colour scheme along with a white picket fence that separated the house from the public walkways.

It was located in a calm neighborhood, not known for crime or any wrong-doings. This area wasn't full of delinquents, but then again, this area didn't have many children.

Akise entered through the fence, walking up the steps to the door. He buzzed the door bell and immediately heard something loud drop from the inside. Worry overcame the detective, wishing he could just run and ensure the safety of the brunette he knew was inside.

The door opened after an agonizing half-minute. The boy Akise had only seen on a television screen that morning appeared in front of him, flushed in the face, and gazed up at him with a puzzled look. Those large electric blue eyes and messy brown hair; the black long sleeve sweater that seemed to be a little too big for him, the collar drooping slightly to reveal a small tan shoulder.. Akise was enraptured.

Though he was soon forcefully dragged out of his trance, turning his crimson gaze back to questioning blue orbs that expressed every thought that passed the brunette's mind.

"Uhm.. may I help you?"

Akise's heart skipped a beat and decided to strum unsteadily, refusing to return to normal. His vermilion eyes went wide, a look of absolute surprise placed on his face. He stood in silence, simply staring in shock at Yukiteru.

"Are.. Are you all right?"

The uncertainty and concern in Yukiteru's angelic voice caused Akise's heart to speed up once again, his mind blanking on what to say. Somewhere in between that lovely sound leaving those beautiful pink lips and Akise's total loss of composure, a realization ran through his mind.

_Is this love?_


	4. Chapter Three: Services

**A/N**

Time for the dear boys to meet! Anyway, on with the story! Remember: your reviews are the fuel that drive me to continue. So, do what you can!

xoxos

* * *

"Are.. Are you all right..?" Yukiteru repeated, his genuine worry evident. Akise found this to be very cute.

"Yes, I'm fine Yukiteru-kun." Akise finally responded, his voice steady and reassuring. But somehow, unexpectedly, that caused a large amount of fear to show itself in the smaller man's (Akise was still surprised this thin baby-faced boy was his age) expression.

"H-How.." Yukiteru stammered, choking on his own words, "How do you know my name?"

Akise smiled. He supposed Yukiteru wouldn't know that he had learned quite a bit of information pertaining to the brunette. He decided it was easier to sneak past the question. "Don't worry. I'm on your side. My name's Akise Aru."

Yukiteru stared up at him, silently trying to figure out if he knew the other man somehow. Akise found he enjoyed staring back into those curious cobalt orbs quite a lot. After an entire minute or so, Yukiteru looked away with an adorable blush spread across his cheeks. Akise almost laughed, completely amused. "W-Would you like to come in?" Yukiteru offered, taking a step back and giving room for entry.

"That would be great." Akise answered, walking in and smelling something fruity. He glanced at Yukiteru, just barely stopping himself from taking in the other's scent. Akise noted where the shoes were and placed his in the designated spot, turning back to Yukiteru. The brunette still seemed a bit suspicious, but his curiosity obviously overrode it.

"I was just making beef stew if you'd like any. I'd like to finish cooking it.."

"Thank you. I would love to try it, Yukiteru-kun." Akise turned up the charm, catching Yukiteru off-guard.

"M-Make yourself at home.." Yukiteru turned quickly away, leaving Akise to his own devices.

Akise wasn't sure how to feel about this situation. Was Yukiteru going to just trust him not to be someone dangerous? Yukiteru was a suspect for a murder case, after all - what if someone wanted to get revenge? Or the actual killer decided to eliminate the only witness? Akise was positive now that this young man was innocent of any wrongdoings. Yukiteru's eyes were not that of a murderer or delinquent - Akise had come across enough criminals throughout his career to be able to differentiate.

Akise relaxed, doing as was told and 'making himself at home'. He removed his jacket and walked around the house, taking everything in. Off-white walls and a wooden stairwell leading upstairs to his right. Straight ahead was, apparently, the kitchen, and to the left was the living area. The living room had a wooden end table between a forest green sofa and lounge chair. He walked around, noticing how much more of a homey feel this house had compared to his own loft. He didn't envy it - quite the opposite. He was happy that Yukiteru had such a beautiful and comfortable abode. An entertainment system was across the sofa in the middle of the room, multiple picture frames adorned atop it and a medium-sized television in the middle of it all.

Akise walked towards the kitchen, Yukiteru working adamantly on dividing carrots evenly. Akise thought Yukiteru's concentration was _seriously cute_. "Yukiteru-kun?"

Yukiteru jumped, hissing in pain as the knife slid across the tip of his forefinger. Yukiteru held his hand up and stared at his finger, self-diagnosing it as 'no big deal'. He just needed to rinse, disinfect, and bandage it before he considered continuing dinner. He looked up at Akise, offering a kind smile, "Yes? What is it?"

Akise frowned. He knew it wasn't a large problem or a serious injury, but it was still his fault it happened. It could have been worse. He grabbed Yukiteru's hand and inspected it.

Yukiteru blinked in surprise at the action. "Don't worry, Akise-kun. It doesn't hu - _Ahhh-?_"

Yukiteru exclaimed in shock as Akise pulled the finger to his lips and licked the blood that had begun to leak down it. Yukiteru stood there wide-eyed and speechless as Akise's tongue ran over his finger, cleaning it of all the crimson. Yukiteru's cheeks blushed a deep red as Akise brought the finger into his mouth, sucking it dry to cease the flow. Yukiteru felt odd yet pleasurable sensations pass up and down his spine with each imbibe.

Akise paused suddenly in surprise, aghast at his own actions. His own impulsiveness. His own enjoyment that he derived from it. He knew the main reason behind it was immediate care, but taking the bleeding appendage into his mouth was not planned. His heart beat swiftly, staring at the shorter boy, an equal amount of astonishment shared between them. Akise saw Yukiteru's frozen expression, his tanned cheeks flushed scarlet. Akise quickly realized the potential repercussions of his actions - he wouldn't blame Yukiteru for kicking him out or hating him. Not that such things would stop Akise in his endeavor to clear the other's name. Akise also realized that he had never been as flustered as he was in this moment.

Akise's actions were almost always carefully planned out, no space allowed for mistakes. He rarely allowed his true emotions to surface, always donning a calm and collected exterior. But anything and everything having to do with Yukiteru seemed to cause him to be thrown off kilter. Akise wondered if this was what the feeling of love was supposed to be like.

Not that he minded all too much.

Akise felt an undeniable draw to the other man, immersed in every little thing. He didn't even know much about the smaller man, but he couldn't help the overwhelming need to protect and care for him. All though he wouldn't blame Yukiteru if he kicked him out at this point.

Yukiteru finally came back from his daze, blush dying down to a simple rosiness splattered across his cheeks. He laughed nervously, "C-Could you cut the carrots while I bandage my finger?"

Akise was caught off guard once again at not being utterly rejected and forced to leave. Wasn't his previous action just now bordering on sexual harassment? Nonetheless, he smiled, "Of course, Yukiteru-kun. Would you like me to finish the preparations?"

Yukiteru looked as if that was the most shocking thing to have occurred, eyes expressing his absolute horror, "Y-You're a guest! I couldn't possibly ask that of you! It's already too much that I'm asking for help at all."

Akise chuckled, "It's completely fine. After all, I came here uninvited. I'm grateful you would allow me to join you for dinner."

After a moment of Yukiteru staring hazily he smiled, the expression making Akise's chest warm, "No problem, Akise-kun. I suppose I'll leave this to you."

Yukiteru turned and left, Akise staring at the brunette's retreating back amused. Yeah, he had never been this flustered. Not before Yukiteru.

Akise grabbed the knife that had sliced Yukiteru skin and washed it off with soap, rinsing it under hot water. He then returned to the carrots and began cutting them evenly. He glanced around the counter, finding that the potatoes were already peeled and cut into inch-sized pieces. As he continued dicing the carrots he recalled the fruity aroma. On the counter was just an assortment of vegetables, and the pot was already filled with the boiling broth and meat; was it really Yukiteru who had that sweet, alluring scent? Akise finished the carrots and moved on to chopping half of an onion and a bit of garlic. He dropped the vegetables into the pot and stirred it, adding a few spices for flavouring. After sprinkling a bit of parsley he smiled, content with it.

Yukiteru returned to the kitchen to find Akise leaning against the counter. He laughed at how relaxed the other male was. Yukiteru could tell the silver-haired man wasn't a bad person. All though he had been warned throughout his life that he was tricked easily, but regardless of that he chose to trust his intuition.

"Akise-kun, thank you for helping me!" Yukiteru thanked, doubling his body over in a grateful bow.

Akise waved his hand, "Lift your head up, Yukiteru-kun. It's absolutely no problem. No need to lower yourself like that."

Yukiteru did as told and lifted his head, beaming at the taller man. Yes, he was certain that Akise wasn't a bad guy. "So, you have something you'd like to talk to me about, Akise-kun?"

Akise nodded, glancing over at the table, "Let's sit and talk, if that's fine with you."

Yukiteru walked with Akise to the table and sat across from him before saying, "Oh! Would you like something to drink?"

Akise noticed in that moment that he hadn't had anything to drink all day and nodded once again, "Yes. Whatever will be fine."

Yukiteru stood back up and retrieved them both a cold bottle of water before sitting back down. They both opened their waters and took a drink simultaneously. After the action Akise put his elbows atop the table and folded his hands, placing his head upon them. "I'll get straight to the point. My name is Akise Aru, and I aim to be an internationally renowned detective. I've heard that you've been accused of being a murderer."

Yukiteru's lip trembled as his heart began to race. Oh, no! Maybe he was wrong, and Akise just wanted to meet the new killer of Sakurami city. Maybe Akise wasn't as nice a guy that he truly believed. Maybe he thought he was guilty, as well. He stared down as his hands shook on the table. He had hoped that he could, if only for a little bit, pretend that all that had happened was just a terrible nightmare. He had planned on holing himself up in his house for a few days to recuperate from the stress. But it seemed that the matter would follow him no matter what. He felt a hand land upon his and looked up with wide, frightened azure eyes. He stared into eyes that reminded him of wine, for not only were they a stunning deep red, but they radiated such a sweetness that it took Yukiteru's breath away.

"Yukiteru-kun, I already told you: I'm on your side." Akise spoke softly as he lifted Yukiteru's hand and held it in both of his, rubbing his thumb on the darker hand reassuringly. The familiarity that Akise exhibited was definitely weird, but it didn't feel _wrong_ to Yukiteru. "I know you're innocent. I'll believe anything you tell me. I know you haven't lied. The report on the news didn't add up. It's all a misunderstanding, right?"

Yukiteru nodded vehemently, "Yes! I tried to tell Kurusu-san, but he won't believe me! I didn't kill that man. He had been after me. He had chased me into an alley, and was about to kill _me!_" Yukiteru eyes teared up and he began shaking again at the memory. Akise's heart clenched at the other's apparent fear. "I closed my eyes, so I didn't see it happen, but when I opened them.. He had fallen onto the ground. He had been killed. She slit his throat! There was blood.. so much blood - "

"Wait, Yukiteru-kun." Akise interrupted, "Who is _she?_"

Yukiteru gulped strongly once, looking away. "You might not believe me, but -"

"I'll believe anything you say." Akise said in an unwavering voice.

Yukiteru stared at Akise, shocked by how sincere the paler man was. He bit his lip in a way that made Akise's mind blank before continuing, "There was this girl.. I couldn't see her all too well, but she had long hair. It was parted into twin tails, and she wore a skirt that stopped just above her knees. She knew who I was and.." Yukiteru's brows furrowed in frustration, "She told me she loved me, and that I should be more careful.." Yukiteru shook violently once before he began to sob, his tears spilling over and landing on their entwined hands. "I-I was so scared, Akise-kun. And they think I killed him! I didn't do anything. I didn't do anything wrong, but no one believes me."

Akise released their hands and stood up, going around the table and leaning down, wrapping his arms around Yukiteru's sitting form. Yukiteru gasped in surprise, his body going rigid. He was.. _being hugged?_ His entire face went pink at the closeness. He understood that it was just Akise's way of comforting him, but the fact that they just met only an hour ago remained true. Despite that fact, Yukiteru found his arms encircling Akise's torso and tightening their embrace. "Y-Your shirt's going to get wet.."

Akise laughed softly, the sound reverberating in Yukiteru's ears, "I don't mind. Cry as much as you want, Yukiteru-kun."

Yukiteru's breathing hitched, hiccups breaking through his sobs as his fists clenched and wrinkled Akise's shirt. He stood up and buried his head in Akise's shoulder, tightening his hold on the taller man. It broke Akise's heart to see the other so extremely upset. He stroked Yukiteru's hair soothingly; he whispered that things were all right and that Yukiteru would be safe from now on. He promised that he would help Yukiteru.

They remained like that long enough for Yukiteru's legs to give way, falling completely into Akise's arms. Akise held the smaller man up with no difficulties. Yukiteru forced out apologies and said his thanks in a shaky voice before loosening his grip and pulling back a bit. He took in a staggered breath, breathing in and out therapeutically. He looked up at Akise, "Thank you, Akise-kun. I'm fine now."

Akise's reluctantly detached himself from the brunette, stepping back. "Yukiteru-kun, is it all right if I stop by often? I would like to keep an eye on you. Someone may want to hurt you because of this misunderstanding. It's also possible that the girl who actually committed the murder is trying to frame you, or has it out for you. All though I doubt that this is the case. But, I suspect that it's no coincidence that she appeared and killed that man. It's suspicious that she was there so late at night.."

Akise stopped speaking as he stared at Yukiteru in wonder. Yukiteru seemed somehow relieved, and it threw the detective off-balance to see such a serene expression while they were talking about the dangers he was in. Yukiteru smiled brilliantly, answering the question that hadn't a chance to leave Akise's lips, "You believed me. Thank you, Akise-kun."

Akise's eyes widened as his heart skipped a beat. He was left speechless, shocked by the pounding in his chest. He regained composure, his heart still thrumming rapidly, "It's no problem. Yukiteru-kun, I'd like to work on this case for you. Free of charge. I know you're innocent, and I have a bad feeling about all of this."

Yukiteru shook his head, confusing Akise. "Thank you for the offer, but I can't have you work for me for free! I have to give you _something_ in return. How much does it usually cost?"

Akise's lips parted as he breathed out a sigh and gave a chuckle. Akise glanced over at the stove with the boiling pot, "I haven't had dinner with someone in a long time. So, have dinner with me and consider my services paid for." He looked back at Yukiteru to see the man pouting, his boyish features looking even younger with the action. Akise laughed again.

"You were already going to have dinner with me! That can't possibly count!"

Akise smirked at the ridiculousness of this conversation. He offers to help for free, and all he receives is this stubborn debate on payment. "All right. You have to treat me to dinner each day."

Yukiteru's pout failed to disappear as he murmured, "I'm not that good of a cook, though.. and when I start back on work, I won't always be able to make dinner at the same time.." He put a finger on his bottom lip. After a few moments of consideration he grinned at the detective, "All right, Akise-kun! I'll also make you lunches for work, okay? If they're not to your liking, we can find something else for me to do for you."

Akise's chest swelled with happiness. Usually he would eat simple, conventional things throughout the day. Cereal bars, toast with maybe some jam, and meals that can be cooked in less than ten minutes - he preferred not to waste too much time on cooking. He would buy beverages that were portable and could be taken along with him to work, such as bottled water and store bought yogurt drinks. So having this offer of a home cooked meal was awfully wonderful. He had to restrain himself from pulling Yukiteru into his arms once again. His mind even went so far as wishing to kiss the brunette. He settled for lifting his hand and caressing the other male's tanned cheek, "I'd like that very much, Yukiteru-kun."

Yukiteru's cheeks tinted a light pink as he beamed, growing accustomed to Akise's lack of physical boundaries, "All right, Akise-kun. Thank you for your help. I'm in your care."

Akise returned the smile exuberantly. He looked over to the stove-top, "I believe our dinner's done. Let's seal the deal and eat now, then."

Yukiteru nodded joyously, "Okay, Akise-kun!" He went and grabbed dishes and silverware. Akise gazed upon him with a soft upturn of his lips. There was no denying it. He was definitely infatuated with this man that he had just met today. He was captivated by this person that he only found out the existence of this morning.

He was completely and totally, irrationally in love with Amano Yukiteru.


	5. Chapter Four: Suspect

**A/N**

This story was on hiatus for quite a while, is anyone still interested, I wonder? Remember: your reviews are the fuel that drive me to continue. So, do what you can!

xoxos

* * *

_**Knock, knock.**_

Yukiteru looked up from the steamer, his blue eyes darting to the clock. It was eight already? "Hold on a moment!" Yukiteru called, hoping the person at the door could hear him. He rummaged around the cabinets and silverware drawer, retrieving two plates. He quickly set them on the kitchen table along with the meal and side dishes. He poured himself and Akise a glass of grapefruit juice. After looking the table over and making sure everything was tidy and neat, he rushed to the front door. Yukiteru swung it open, grinning at the man standing on his steps, "Hey, good morning, Akise-kun!"

"Good morning, Yukiteru-kun." Akise stepped into the house that was now familiar to him, removing his shoes. He smelled the sweet, fruity smell that he had grown accustomed to and smiled, looking over to the brunette, "How was your first day back to work yesterday?"

Yukiteru walked with Akise to the kitchen, "It was fine. Nothing particularly special happened - oh, but there is this little boy who always comes to the store.. His name's Reisuke-kun. Usually, he looks really depressed. He usually comes in all by himself and buys three lollipops - and he always says that they're for his puppets. But, I think that's a lie.." Yukiteru's expression grew somber, "I think his parents neglect him. I can kind of understand the loneliness from that, so I feel bad for him.."

Akise's heart clenched at the pain in Yukiteru's eyes. He'd have to ask about what happened to cause that darkness at some point and time. Yukiteru suddenly brightened up, "But yesterday he came in with a pretty little blonde girl! He was laughing and smiling with her.. It made me happy to see him happy." Yukiteru's smile softened.

"That's nice that he's made a new friend." Akise commented, walking to the table where his breakfast awaited: steamed rice and Miso soup. A traditional Japanese set-up. Akise smiled at the meal. He knew that Yukiteru woke up early in order to make diverse food for each day. It wasn't top-quality, but Akise would rather have Yukiteru's home-cooked food than any alternative. The brunette had served all types of foods throughout the week, including English-style breakfasts with tea and other cultural meals. Akise would never admit aloud that he didn't particularly like the feeling of grilled cheese sandwiches, because whenever he complimented Yukiteru's cooking or simply smiled after taking a bite, the amateur chef would light up in joy. Yukiteru's smiles always reminded Akise of how truly he was in love, butterflies in the stomach included.

For the past week, Akise and Yukiteru had been meeting up in order to speak more about the case. Akise was taking advantage of the situation and steadily learning more about the other man during the times they were together. He had learned that Yukiteru didn't have many friends. Or rather, he didn't have much of a social life at all. Not that Akise ridiculed such things, because he couldn't name a single person whom he had personal bonds with. The difference, though, was that Yukiteru actually wanted friends. People to talk to and to visit with, whereas Akise felt no such desire. Akise had clients and a few acquaintances that he built steady relationships with for the sake of his work, but he had no real desire to spend more time with them than was necessary.

Yukiteru pattered around the kitchen, retrieving the eating utensils. They both ate breakfast in a comfortable silence, both growing accustomed to having someone there with them every morning for the first time in both of their lives. After breakfast as they gathered the dishes and placed them in the sink, Akise observed that Yukiteru's eyes were a bit unfocused, cheeks flushed with a light pink. He reached a hand and moved brown tresses off of the shorter boy's forehead. He leaned down and touched his forehead to Yukiteru's, feeling the slightly warmer temperature and voicing his concern, "Are you feeling unwell?"

Yukiteru's flushed cheeks seemed to further redden as he pushed Akise away, "I'm fine!"

Akise's expression showed that he was unconvinced, but he decided to let it go. Yukiteru didn't have work today, and Akise would make sure to watch over so that he didn't become too stressed. With that goal in mind, he offered to do the dishes only to be reprimanded by Yukiteru. "This is my payment!" The brunette protested, "Go wait in the living room; I'll be with you shortly."

Akise did as told since there were so few dishes, going to the modest living room and sitting on the soft green sofa. He thought about the case for a bit; they were currently working together to try and figure out _who_ the mystery girl was. The true murderer, dubbed by Akise as 'X'; they weren't sure what her intentions were, but they had spent the past week trying to figure it out.

The detective leaned back in the sofa, covering his eyes with his hand and blocking out the light. The motives of the killer were unclear. She had claimed to love Yukiteru, and even warned him to be careful. Akise had come to the conclusion that she was definitely acting as a protector. But why? Yukiteru wasn't able to recognize the girl. It was possible that he just couldn't see her in the dark, but Akise didn't believe that Yukiteru had enough people in his life that he would have difficulty deciphering one.

Akise was beginning to grow highly concerned for Yukiteru's safety. The fact that she was there that night was no coincidence. But Akise had no evidence, and without evidence he couldn't convict her of anything.

The detective looked around the room that he was growing used to, the scent of clean fabric floating through the air as usual. Yukiteru had a scent that was distinctly different from his house, surprisingly.

Akise looked towards the window to see how the weather was, his eyes widening at the small figure cloaked in darkness outside the window. The figure was donning a dark grey sweater, hood up and concealing their appearance. But Akise could feel the piercing glare. The person turned around and dashed away. Akise cursed to himself; he had to go after them! He wasn't sure why, but he had a hunch that they were the other witness. The actual murderer.

He hopped off the love seat and slipped his shoes on swiftly. "Akise-kun?" He heard a worried voice call to him. His eyes turned to the voice behind him, Yukiteru holding two glasses filled with what seemed to be iced tea, "Akise-kun, where are you going in such a hurry..?"

"I'm sorry, Yukiteru-kun," Akise apologized before running out the door. He could hear the glass shatter behind him as Yukiteru dropped the beverages. He glanced behind him and saw Yukiteru slipping on his shoes hurriedly, the tea and glass splattered all across the entryway. He wanted to warn the brunette away from following, but he needed to catch up to the suspect. He knew Yukiteru wasn't extraordinarily fast, so it was doubtful he'd have to be concerned over the brunette getting involved.

Akise panted harshly as he ran at top speed, catching up with the suspicious figure quickly. The person's hood fell down, revealing vibrant, flowing pink hair. Akise's lips turned up in satisfaction. Pink hair _wasn't_ common. This narrowed it down drastically. She seemed to go even faster now with her hood down. She made a sharp left, turning into an alleyway. Akise followed after, determined not to let her escape.

And then she screamed.

"Help!" she cried, "He's after me! _Someone stop him!_"

Her voice was deceptively sweet sounding. Akise knew what she was doing, but he hadn't anticipated such a desperate action. Playing the damsel in distress? How dirty. He grimaced and turned into the alleyway, her disgustingly melodic voice still shouting falsities. Suddenly, Akise was grabbed by his hood, pulled back harshly and thrown into the wall. His shoulder hit the brick and he could feel the bruise developing painfully. Akise cleared his head; there was no time to focus on such things. He looked up at the one who stopped him and saw the man rushing towards him, fist clenched. Akise rolled to his side and just barely dodged a punch to the gut. Crimson eyes darted to where he had last seen the pink haired female. _Damn it!_ She was out of his sight; he had no clue where she was now. He bit down on his tongue to keep from cursing aloud. There was nothing he could do about her now, and he had a brand new situation at hand.

"You think it's fine to attack defenseless young ladies?" Akise looked up at the one who had stopped him from capturing his suspect. A tall man with an exaggerated pompadour hair style and wearing clothing that would be seen worn by old time delinquents. It was nearly comical when he reached into his pocket and retrieved a comb, grooming the ostentatious hair-do. Beside him was a slender woman with shoulder length violet hair; she was wearing indefinitely more modern clothing, but somehow they resonated together well.

The woman giggled playfully, flipping her manicured nails under her hair, "Marco, come on, she's safe now. Let's go - you promised we would be able to get snacks before the movie starts."

"Just wait, Ai. Punks like this need to learn right from wrong. He needs it ingrained into his body so he never tries to lay a hand on a woman again." Marco walked towards Akise who was still slumped against the wall. Marco swung again at him, Akise quickly getting up and evading the surprisingly agile punch. Marco's hand made direct contact with the brick wall, but he didn't so much as flinch. He grinned wildly and muttered, "Agile bastard, aren't ya'."

Akise glared at the man named Marco who was impeding the case. He considered explaining the situation to him, but he was more than aware that the other wouldn't listen. For now, he had to return to Yukiteru and make sure he was safe. Akise surveyed the alleyway, searching for a clear path out. Preparing to run, he turned on his heels - but he hadn't anticipated Marco grabbing the back of his jacket once again, this time with the comb that had once brushed through his gelled hair. Akise's irritation showed clearly on his face as he was tugged by his hood and spun around. Marco closed a fist around his collar, tugging the fabric painfully tight around Akise's neck. Akise calmed his racing heart as he attempted to remove the stronger man's hand from his shirt. Marco's free hand punched him in the gut once, twice, three times. Akise's head was swimming. He was definitely overpowered by this man, obviously experienced in brawling with fists. His stomach ached and he was running out of oxygen. His hands which were attempting to pry Marco's hand from his collar were weakening, taking all of his energy just to keep up the appearance of resisting.

"Stop!"

Marco paused in his assault, turning his head to the voice that Akise recognized instantly despite how distant it sounded. Yukiteru ran down the alleyway towards them, breathing heavily. Once next to them he put a hand over his heart and bent down, attempting to catch his breath. After a few moments of silence, Yukiteru looked up fiercely, "Please let him go."

Marco's expression was skeptical, but Ai placed her hands around his arms and gently pulled his arm down. He released Akise at once, already understanding that the fight was no longer necessary.

After regulating his breath once more, Akise adjusted his tie habitually and turned to Yukiteru with concern, "Are you all right -"

_**Slap!**_

Yukiteru's hand struck harshly across Akise's left cheek, leaving a heated mark. "Yukiteru-kun.." Akise breathed out, his pale hand gingerly reaching up and touching where Yukiteru's hand made contact.

"You idiot!" Yukiteru shouted as tears streamed down his cheeks. His hands clenched and Akise closed his eyes, preparing himself to be struck once again. But his eyes flew open as shaking arms wrapped around him. Yukiteru's head laid on his shoulder, his breath brushing against the silverette's neck. Akise's heart leaped at the titillating feeling, "You.. idiot.."

Akise ignored his sensitivities to Yukiteru's touch and realized the reasoning behind the other's actions. That pink haired girl had killed in front of Yukiteru; he must be absolutely shaken. Akise reached a hand and ran it through Yukiteru's umber locks, returning the embrace. "No one's hurt, Yukiteru-kun. Everything's fine." he soothed, as though calming a child.

Yukiteru only tightened his grasp. The bruises Akise had sustained from earlier stung, but he couldn't suppress his smile. Akise wasn't particularly used to this sort of physical intimacy, but he didn't mind it. Yukiteru's gentle sobs were enchanting, and he found the tears leaving azure eyes to be quite beautiful. He glanced around the area to ensure Yukiteru's safety and saw Marco and Ai walking away from them with hands entwined.

She escaped.

Akise internally cursed. Not only had she escaped, but she now knew he was helping Yukiteru. He still didn't know for sure what her motive was, but he now knew her appearance. It wouldn't be hard for the most proficient detective in the prefecture to find her. But convicting her of any crime was another story.

Akise felt Yukiteru's shuddering breaths that still caressed his neck begin to steady. He bent his head to view Yukiteru's eyes shut and his body no longer holding itself up. Leaning slightly, he placed his lips on Yukiteru's forehead. Hot. Akise had suspected so earlier, but Yukiteru was burning up now.

"Yukiteru-kun, get on my back." Akise whispered to the feverish boy. Yukiteru complied sluggishly, wrapping his arms around snowy haired boy's shoulders. Akise once again checked the scene for anyone suspicious before returning back to Yukiteru's house.


End file.
